IP Library Granted Patent US 12,397,604
Granted Patent B2
US 12,397,604 · App. 17/604,229 · Granted Aug 26, 2025

Controller, control method, and computer program product for a vehicle which has a chassis part and a driver cab part that can be found on the chassis part

Inventors: Marc Abele (Radolfzell, DE); Mark Mohr (Tettnang, DE); Friedrich Tenbrock (Langenargen, DE)
Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
B60G17/0195B60G17/0165B60G99/002B62D33/0604H04N23/6811H04N23/685B60G2204/162B60G2401/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,397,604
App. No.
17/604,229
Granted
Aug 26, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control unit for a vehicle that has a chassis and a driver's cab on the chassis, comprising a first data interface for receiving image data generated by an imaging sensor, a second data interface for receiving vehicle state data generated by a vehicle state sensor, an evaluation unit for evaluating the image data and/or the vehicle state data in order to generate a first control signal on the basis of the evaluation of the image data, which is configured to counteract a relative movement between the chassis and the driver's cab and/or generate a second control signal on the basis of the evaluation of the vehicle state data, which is configured to correct a setting of the imaging sensor, and a signal output unit for outputting the first and/or second control signals.

Claims (48)

1. A control unit for a vehicle comprising a chassis and a driver's cab on the chassis, the control unit comprising:

a first data interface configured to receive image data generated by an imaging sensor;

a second data interface configured to receive vehicle state data generated by a vehicle state sensor different from the imaging sensor;

at least one processing device configured to:

evaluate at least one of the image data or the vehicle state data, and

generate a second control signal on a basis of the evaluation of the vehicle state data, which second control signal is configured to correct a setting of the imaging sensor; and

a signal output interface configured to output the second control signal.

2. The control unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to deduce a vibration between the chassis and the driver's cab from the vehicle state data.

3. The control unit according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to generate the second control signal as soon as the at least one processing device has detected that the deduced vibration between the chassis and the driver's cab has reached a predefined threshold.

4. The control unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second control signal is configured to correct an incorrect field of vision of the imaging sensor based on the evaluation of the vehicle state data.

5. The control unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to:

evaluate both of the image data and the vehicle state data by the at least one processing device; and

generate a first control signal on a basis of the evaluation of the image data, wherein the first control signal is configured to operate a mechatronic damping regulating unit comprising actuators configured to counteract a relative movement between the chassis and the driver's cab based on the first signal; and

wherein the signal output interface is configured to:

output the first control signal to the mechatronic damping regulating unit.

6. The control unit according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to deduce a field of vision from the imaging sensor.

7. The control unit according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to generate the first control signal as soon as the at least one processing device has detected that the deduced field of vision differs from a predefined field of vision by a predefined tolerance.

8. A vehicle comprising a chassis and a driver's cab on the chassis, the vehicle further comprising the control unit according to claim 1 .

9. A control method for a vehicle that has a chassis and a driver's cab on the chassis, the control method comprising:

receiving image data generated by an imaging sensor via a first data interface;

receiving vehicle state data generated by a vehicle state sensor via a second data interface, wherein the vehicle state sensor is different from the imaging sensor;

evaluating at least one of the image data or the vehicle state data by at least one processing device;

generating a second control signal on a basis of the evaluation of the vehicle state data, which second control signal is configured to correct a field of vision of the imaging sensor; and

outputting the second control signal via a signal output interface.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing thereon a computer program for a vehicle a chassis and a driver's cab on the chassis, wherein, when executed by a computer, the computer program causes the computer to execute the method according to claim 9 .

11. The method according to claim 9 further comprising:

deducing, by the at least one processing device, a vibration between the chassis and the driver's cab from the vehicle state data.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising:

generating the second control signal as soon as the at least one processing device has detected that the deduced vibration between the chassis and the driver's cab has reached a predefined threshold.

13. The method according to claim 9 further comprising:

correcting an incorrect field of vision of the imaging sensor with the second control signal.

14. The method according to claim 9 further comprising:

deducing, by the at least one processing device, the field of vision from the imaging sensor.

15. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

evaluating both of the image data and the vehicle state data by the at least one processing device;

generating a first control signal on a basis of the evaluation of the image data, wherein the first control signal is configured to operate a mechatronic damping regulating unit comprising actuators configured to counteract a relative movement between the chassis and the driver's cab based on the first signal; and

outputting the first control signal via the signal output interface to the mechatronic damping regulating unit.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

generating the first control signal as soon as the at least one processing device has detected that the deduced field of vision differs from a predefined field of vision by a predefined tolerance.

17. A control unit for a vehicle comprising a chassis and a driver's cab on the chassis, the control unit comprising:

a first data interface configured to receive image data generated by an imaging sensor;

a second data interface configured to receive vehicle state data generated by a vehicle state sensor;

at least one processing device configured to:

evaluate at least one of the image data or the vehicle state data; and

generate a first control signal on a basis of the evaluation of the image data, wherein the first control signal is configured to operate a mechatronic damping regulating unit comprising actuators configured to counteract a relative movement between the chassis and the driver's cab based on the first signal; and

a signal output interface configured to output the first control signal to the mechatronic damping regulating unit.

18. The control unit according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to deduce a field of vision from the imaging sensor.

19. The control unit according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to generate the first control signal as soon as the at least one processing device has detected that the deduced field of vision differs from a predefined field of vision by a predefined tolerance.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2021
From: ABELE, MARC; MOHR, MARK; TENBROCK, FRIEDRICH
To: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
Reel/Frame 057847/0602 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2019 205 455.2 · Apr 16, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220203797A1 · Jun 30, 2022
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